McMahon's Best-One encourages employee career growth

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — McMahon's Best-One Tire President Kim McMahon can now add a second year as a finalist in the Tire Business Best Places to Work competition, in addition to winning the Tire Business Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award in 2022.

She oversees the family-owned and -operated dealership with 134 employees who work at five full-service tire and automotive service locations, three truck/trailer repair centers, a distribution center and a retread plant in the Fort Wayne market.

McMahon said the Best Places to Work recognition is important for her company "because your employees make you what you are. The fact that our employees are happy and like working here means the world to me."

McMahon said her philosophy that she preaches all the time, and is emblazoned on a motivational sign in her office, is "Culture eats strategy for lunch."

McMahon said she is proud of the positive culture that has been created at the dealership over the years,

The dealership noted in its Best Places to Work application: "It's no surprise that McMahon's Best-One Tire has been selected as the Best Place to Work by Tire Business and Best Companies Group. This family-owned (dealership) has a long-standing reputation for excellent customer service, thriving employees and supporting their local community."

The company also said: "The owners have always made a conscious effort to make their employees feel respected and heard. For example, we send out monthly newsletters highlighting employees' accomplishments, celebrate birthdays and major life events, work anniversaries, and much more. We encourage feedback regarding the various charities we support so we have a better idea of our employees hobbies and interests.

"Each year we host a spring and a fall family picnic where we invite all staff and their families out for a day of food, games, music and entertainment as a thank you for all their hard work. This is only a fraction of the reasons why we are the BEST place to work."

In addition to health and retirement savings benefits, McMahon's Best-One offers:

• Tuition reimbursement for certifications;
• Recognitions for years of employment, milestones, birthdays, etc.;
• Spotlights on employees from each store every month on social media and in the company newsletter;
• Employee engagement activities, such as paid lunches, pets at work, store contests, discount or free tickets to local entertainment venues and sporting events, etc.;
• Flexible hours for attending school events, appointments, family obligations, etc.; and
• Overtime hours kept to a minimum.

"They attribute their continued growth and success in large part to the culture and environment within the company," the dealership said.

"The owners have always made a conscious effort to make their employees feel respected and heard. From birthday celebrations to family picnics, McMahon's also knows the importance of employee satisfaction. With the addition of a training and development program, they will continue to invest in their employees personal growth."

Last year McMahon's Best-One launched an in-house program it calls the McMahon Technology Center, which focuses on new employee on-boarding, training and development, talent retention and acquisition, service operations and data analytics.

The tech center not only focusing on attracting new employees, but also encouraging career development among its staff.

Every new employee spends a week with Keegan Wentz, tech center president, to learn the workings of the shops. McMahon said this process helps the new employees feel more comfortable about the workplace and provides a certain level of comfort.

Wentz also offers training classes to improve the skills of current employees and help them with practice tests for ASE certification exams.

Employees are paid $100 to attend these classes after hours and on Saturdays and "the attendance has been great," McMahon said.

"Even if they've been doing this (skill) for years, they need a refresher to take a test. Some haven't taken a test on a computer before. It helps prepare them.

"We would like all of our techs to have at least one (ASE certification) and then with each different level, the more certifications they get, the more money they make," McMahon said.

Hiring new employees has become easier, despite the current hiring challenges around the industry, she said.

"We've kind of changed our philosophy and we're not really looking for 'qualified' employees in terms of experience working on vehicles. We're finding people that fit our culture and then saying, 'We know we can train them.' I think that makes it a little easier to find people. … It definitely opens up a lot more doors as far as finding people."

For applicants who have never worked in a tire shop, she said, "in the process of hiring, we talk about the technology part of it, the electrical part of it. It's not just working on a car. It's not just changing tires and changing oil. Looking at it from the bigger picture, we've said, 'Here's how you can move not just up, but around, in this company.' Between the commercial side and the retread shop, sales, drivers, we have so many different places that you could work. And we try to make that point when we talk to perspective employees and new employees because there are so many different positions that they may be interested in," McMahon said.

McMahon's Best-One's reputation in the community also helps attract prospective employees.

"Fort Wayne is kind of a perfect-sized town in that a lot of people know how we give back to the community. … The younger people want to see that. They want to know that where they're working is trying to make a difference. … And people really respond to that. I think that helps us a lot in that respect," she said.

Due to all the charitable activities, McMahon was honored last fall with Tire Business' Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award for her and the dealership's charitable efforts and support to local charities.

Last year, the dealership donated more than $100,000 to local charities through sponsorships, fund-raising events, donation drives and volunteering.

McMahon said her goal is to continue to do what the company is doing and expand on it.

"The best thing we can do is make sure that our employees and our community are taken care of. We are very lucky to be in a position that we can do that. We will make sure that continues."